Improvement in the manufacture of knives and forks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. E. LEONAED, OE MERIDEN, AssIGNoE To HIMsELE, LEsLIE A. BELDING, OE MEEIDEN, AND JAMEs D. EEAEY, OE NEW BRITAIN,

, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT INTHE MANUFACTURE OF KNIVES AND FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,269, dated September 25, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. H. LEONARD, of Meriden, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Mode or Process of Making or Attaching Handles to Knives, Forks, &c; and to enable others skilled in the art to Inake and use the same, I will proceed to describe the mode or process by which this improvement is effected, referring to letters marked on the drawings, which indicate like parts in each of the tigures.

The essential character ot' this improvement consists in the Inode or process of Inaking or securing soft-metal handles to or upon the shanks of hard-metal knives, forks, Src.

The object desired to be attained thereby is to produce a plain or ornamental handle by the process or Inode of casting the metal upon the shank of the knife, fork, Src., by means of a mold'or molds having a plain or orna-` mental inside surface, so as to produce a plain or highly-ernamental surface upon the sides or surface ot' the handles, simply by casting or pouring molten metal into molds. having plain or highly-ornamental figures formed upon their inner surface, very much in the way or manner of forming tea-pot nozzles; or, in other words, by pouring molten metal into proper or desirably-formed Inolds, then after the metal has partially cooled to a certain depth or thickness around the sides the metal in the center of the handle (yet in a Inoltcn state) is poured out from the center of the handle through the same` aperture 7L through which it was first poured into the mold or handle, after which lthe opening in the end of the handle is closed up by soldering, and thereby rendering it air and water tight.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, c is a knife-blade, which is made much in the usual way. Its shank c is made square or in other shape, as may be desirable, having depressions e formed therein, for the purpose of allowing the handle to compress itself more firmly thereto when the molten metal is poured thereon.

L is an aperture through `which the remaining` molten metal is poured out of the handle.

Fig. 2 is a fork, the tines i of which, wit-l1 the lower end of the shank i', are made in the The shank 'i' is niade about half the thickness of the shank i', and perfoi rated or not, as desirable. After the shanks ot` these knives, forks, &c., are properly made or formed they (the shanks) are placed iu the lower end of the mold, the inside of which is made the desired shape or figure required for a plain or highly-ornamental iignre, into which the metal is poured whilein a molten state, thus producing a knife or fork handle plain or embellished, according to the various ,pac terns most desirable for the trade, without the. necessity ot' being to the great expense and labor ot' tittingup dies, drops, presses, &c., thereby furnishing` a plain, rich, and cheap article, which will produce a good finish without plating, and is at the same time susceptible ofa tine plated finish.

Inthis way or by this means a great variety of styles and embossed figures canI be produced at a very small expense, and at the same time produce an equally good, if not better, article for use and trade.

I believe I have thus shown the nature, conA struction, and advantage ot' this improvement, so as to enable others skilled to make the same therefrom.

Vhat I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patentis- The mode or process described of iorming around and upon the tangot' avknife or forkf a hollow soft-metal handle, substantially as described. v

JOHN B. H. LEONARD.. Witnesses:

WM. F. RICHMOND, GEO. W. SMITH.

IL- si 

